Cleveland Indians DH Hafner likely headed for surgery

Chuck Crow/The Plain DealerTravis Hafner's sore right shoulder has not progressed as he and the team had hoped.

Designated hitter Travis Hafner appears to be headed for surgery on his ailing right shoulder.

The shoulder injury kept Hafner on the disabled list from May 30 through Sept. 9 of this past season.

"Travis' end of the season physical did not end up where we thought it would end up," said General Manager Mark Shapiro during his end-of-the-season address to the media today. "The strength in his right shoulder was not what we thought it would be. Right now, Travis is examining the alternatives."

Shapiro said Lonnie Soloff, the Indians' head athletic trainer, will give an update on Hafner's condition on Monday. Shapiro added that one of the alternatives Hafner is looking at is arthroscopic surgery.

Shapiro said Hafner should be 100 percent by the time spring training opens in February, even if the surgery is necessary.

"If it is more serious than we anticipate, then we'll address it during the off-season," Shapiro said.